The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) was created in 1948 as a direct response to the inhumanity suffered worldwide throughout, and following, World War Two. To mark the UDHR's 60th anniversary in 2008, Se n Love, who was executive director of Amnesty International (Ireland) at the time, and author Roddy Doyle decided to celebrate the declaration, telling the story of human rights to a new generation in a unique and compelling way. Seamus Heaney, Roddy Doyle, John Boyne, Colm Toibin, Jennifer Johnston, Maeve Binchy, Frank McCourt, Lara Marlowe, Anne Enright, Hugo Hamilton, Kevin Barry, and others, each took a different topic, tackling the various subjects of fair trials, prison, torture, war, refugees, but also, education, poverty, health, leisure, employment, and housing. Many of these essays first appeared in the Irish Times.